


The Homecoming Queen

by likeromeoandjuliet



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fuck the rd writers, If Betty hasn’t read the book, They all deserve better, angsty, everyone read it but her, it’s small
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-19
Updated: 2021-02-19
Packaged: 2021-03-14 20:28:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29547933
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/likeromeoandjuliet/pseuds/likeromeoandjuliet
Summary: Betty gets generally more confused with which comment someone drops every week. It’s been happening for a while, ever since she returned to Riverdale. She’d been too occupied with too many things to truly think about said comments. But she can’t sleep and if she did sleep, she knows a nightmare was surely ahead of her and to avoid thinking of nearly everything in her life at the moment, she’s thinking about the odd moments that had occurred.First, it was Kevin. She hadn’t put much weight on it, because it is Kevin, and his need for absurd pop culture references hasn’t changed in all these years, she truly had just moved past it, assumed it’d been something like a Kevin thing.OrEveryone’s read the book but Betty.
Relationships: Betty Cooper & Jughead Jones, Betty Cooper/Jughead Jones
Comments: 17
Kudos: 134





	The Homecoming Queen

Betty gets generally more confused with which comment someone drops every week. It’s been happening for a while, ever since she returned to Riverdale. She’d been too occupied with too many things to truly think about said comments. But she can’t sleep and if she did sleep, she knows a nightmare was surely ahead of her and to avoid thinking of nearly everything in her life at the moment, she’s thinking about the odd moments that had occurred. 

First, it was Kevin. She hadn’t put much weight on it, because it is Kevin, and his need for absurd pop culture references hasn’t changed in all these years, she truly had just moved past it, assumed it’d been something like a Kevin thing. 

He’d questioned about the “bughead” reunion, she had told him how it went. And how very little was actually exchanged because she truly doesn’t want to get into it because she’s scared she’ll actually fall into a hole deeper than the one TBK put her in and she’s terrified. She’ll be back in Quantico soon, she doesn’t have the time to really put effort into anything and if she’s honest, she’s sure Jughead doesn’t want her to. 

But then Kevin, as they were heading towards her car, turned to her, he was saying something about Jughead being an accomplished writer and as he spoke, Betty lost track of herself and began thinking about the boy that had shown her his writing, a little self conscious at first and then trusting her fully, little by little. 

“Isn’t homecoming queen a little off brand?” He questions and Betty has no clue of what he’s talking about. Kevin notices her expression, waves her off. “Probably an inside joke.” He laughs softly. And before she has chance to question him further, he asks if she wants to go to Pop’s and Betty forgets about it. 

Then it’s Toni. Betty’s nursing her beer while the table is talking about the Serpents and she spaces out for a second, loses half the conversation and only returns to earth when Toni directs the comment at her. She hears mentions of someone making them look like fools but has no idea what about. 

“I guess you’re the only one who doesn’t have that much to complain about, huh?” Toni chuckles softly. 

At first, she ponders questioning about what they’re talking about. But wonders if it’s about people’s lives and thinks of how much she doesn’t want to talk about hers so she just gulps down her beer, smiles tightly and says: 

“I guess not.” 

Fangs shakes his head with a fond smile and Betty’s sure she’s missed something but the panic of having to even think of her seven years has her bringing the beer bottle back to her lips as Sweet Pea launches into a story about Kevin and Fangs arguing about the couch placement in their apartment. She laughs at the sweet story, of people whose life she’s missed out on and tries to push down the funny feeling in the pit of her stomach, as she does everything else. 

Some comments are vague, like Pop Tate’s granddaughter Tabitha, she’s chatting with her while she waits for takeout and Tabitha is talking about her grandfather and how fondly he spoke of them all. 

“He always talked about the two of you saving the town. You and Jughead. That you were the ones who could do it. Investigating, I mean. Well, I guess the whole world knows about that.” She chuckles softly and Betty just nods. I guess, sure, people must know, around town. “But he really loves you guys. He missed you all these years, I can tell.” 

“I missed him too. Nothing like Pop’s anywhere else.”

Nothing like the memories in Pop’s either. Good ones. Bad ones. Terrifying ones. Beautiful ones. 

Tabitha’s comment is easily the most forgettable one. 

Veronica is the one conversation she doesn’t shy away from because curiosity killed the cat and Betty’s instincts scream at her to just ask. It’s one the first times, she and Veronica sit down together. They’re waiting for everyone at the table at Pop’s and it’s a little awkward at first but Betty loves Veronica and she still wants to know what she can, wants to reestablish what they had in high school. 

“That’s nice a ring.” 

Veronica’s laugh is a little forced but Betty for once, doesn’t think it’s because of her. “Thanks. Chad did a good job.”

“You okay? Life, I guess, everything?” Betty smiles softly. 

There’s a fleeting expression on Veronica’s face that tells her the opposite of the words Veronica actually says. “Oh you know, just living it up in New York with the husband.” She shrugs a grin. But it feels so out of place. Betty doesn’t get good vibes from Veronica’s husband, too many red flags. “And you?” 

Betty clears her throat. “Training for the FBI.” She shrugs. “Technically I’m done, but still waiting to actually get on the job.”  _I was held hostage in hole by a psychopathic killer for two weeks and I have nightmares every night. He could be out there killing people because I fucked up._ “ But I’m good.” She nods, as if convincing herself of the fact. 

Veronica pauses, for a moment staring down at her ring and the silence causes an ache in Betty’s chest. Like for moment, both their facades disappear and it’s just what they used to be but neither of them is okay and whatever innocence they had as teenagers is long gone. They’re different people now, with lives miles away from each other. 

“Betty...” Veronica starts, her voice soft. “I missed you.” 

Betty breathes, swallowing the lump in her throat and reaches for her hand and Veronica gives in. “I’m sorry we lost touch, that I didn’t try harder. I don’t...I fucked up a lot.” 

“It’s in the past, B. I’ve forgiven you a long time ago.” Veronica tells her with a small smile. “Jughead did overdramatize us having a fallout in his book but I assure you I love you too much to be that dramatic.” 

Betty furrows her brows. “What?” 

“His book?” Veronica laughs softly and then her eyes widen. “B, you did read it, right?” 

Betty shakes her head. “I...he left a voicemail on the night of his book launch. And I figured, maybe I shouldn’t so I didn’t. I bought it but I think I did everything I could to not think of him after that voicemail. Couldn’t do it.” 

Veronica sighs softly. “B...you probably should.” 

“What do you mean?” 

“The book is about you. And him. During his time in Serpents. Well, Vipers in this case.” Veronica rolls her eyes but her face softens the second after squeezing Betty’s hand. “It’s...about you, B. You’re the homecoming queen. It’s actually very beautiful, slightly pretentious as all things Jughead, one could say.” She says it with a fond smile on her face. “It’s like seeing the way he used to look at you written on a page.” 

**_ It’s like seeing the way he used to look at you written on a page.  _ **

That night, they all sit around at Pop’s trying to come up with a plan for the town of Riverdale and Betty tries at all costs not to stare at Jughead all night. Her mind is now occupied with the knowledge that his book, the book that made him a published writer was about her. About them. Their story. 

Her copy is in Quantico so she’s forced to drive out to Greendale where the nearest bookshop his and sure enough, she finds his book, his face staring at her in the back. Forsythe P. Jones III. 

The book burns in her hand, all the way to checkout, as she walks to her car, she can feel its weight when she places it in the passenger seat. She refuses to open it until she’s in the confinement of her childhood bedroom. Surrounded by memories of them. Their pictures still on the shelves and if she closes her eyes, she’s with him again, his lips on hers, a smile on his face. It quickly turns into his broken-hearted expression of when she told him about Archie. The distance between them. The lying awake, crying herself to sleep with him beside her. 

But she pushes through. She sits on her bed, places the book down, stares at it and tells herself it doesn’t mean anything because clearly, there’s nothing left between them. She’ll go back to her life, he will go back to his and she’ll forever wish things were different. And he’ll be a memory locked in mind even when she’s old, alone probably, thinking of how her first love had been her only true, real, love. Dreaming of being loved like that again and of feeling happiness like she had with him even in the midst of everything that hurt. She’ll think of him when she’s alone in her apartment with nothing left to do but feel. 

He had told her on the phone. He did it without her. He hadn’t wanted to but he could live without her, she’d hurt him, she had broken him but here he was. Published author. And he didn’t need her for that. 

But it’s the second she opens it, the gaping wound in her chest gets larger and she feels like she’s in the hole again. 

In the first page, screaming at her are the words: 

_ For BC _

**Author's Note:**

> FUCK THE RIVERDALE WRITERS THEY CAN SUCK MY METAPHORICAL DICK


End file.
